Cherry Almond Scones

My Cherry Almond Scones with Vanilla Almond Glaze are a taste sensation. These little gems created quite a stir recently when I was asked to bring a snack to my morning bible study group. Soft and buttery, crunchy and chewy with plenty of that sweet vanilla flavor, these little scones will have you diving back in for more.

The origin of scones can be traced to Scotland and were flat cakes made from oats. Today, I would liken a scone to a biscuit, with a bit of sugar to sweeten things up. Cherry Almond Scones are made using a food processor and are oh so easy to prepare. Because of their high butter content scones are really only good the day they are baked so I like to freeze any uneaten portions for another day.

Scones are traditionally served in wedges, the dough pressed into discs and then sliced like a pizza before baking them. I think it is a fun twist to use a round biscuit cutter to make scones or even simply shaped cookie cutters like a heart or egg shape. When you cut them small like this, you don’t need to feel guilty about enjoying 2-3 scones in one sitting and you will want more than one!

I hope you will try my Cherry Almond Scones with Vanilia Almond Glaze, and please let me know how you like them!!

Cherry Almond Scones

3 cups flour

½ cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 ½ sticks cold butter cubed

1 cup chilled buttermilk

¾ cup dried cherries

Seeds from 1 vanilla pod

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Mix all dry ingredients in the food processor. Add cherries then butter and pulse until the mixture resembles small peas. Mix extracts and vanilla seeds into the buttermilk. Pour buttermilk into the food processor and pulse until dough is formed. Gather the dough into a ball and turn it onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead it gently not more than a dozen times. Cut the dough in half. Roll ½ of the dough into a circle ½ inch thick. Slice the circle like a pizza creating 8 triangles. Repeat with the second half of the dough. Place triangles on a baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes until slightly brown around the edges. Glaze with Vanilla Almond Glaze.

Vanilla Almond Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon vanilla

Seeds from 1 vanilla pod

Pinch of salt

Cream, 2 tabeslpoons-1/2 cup

¼ slivered almonds

Mix all ingredients in a bowl except cream; add cream slowly until desired consistency is formed. Drizzle tops of baked scones with frosting and garnish with slivered almonds.